Inflatable head stay



R. D. SMITH INFLATABLE HEAD STAY March 11, .1952

Filed Oct INVENTOR' mam WM ATTORNEYJ.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES FATEN'E QFFICE INFLATABLE HEAD STAYRaymond B. Smith, Chappaqua, N. Y.

Application October 25, 1950, Serial No. 192,059

5 Claims. (Cl. 155-174) This invention relates to a device designed fothe comfort of sleeping passengers and the like in vehicles. The deviceis intended to maintain the head of the passenger from movement causedby movement of the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide a head stay which isinflatable when desired and which when deflated can easily be folded andcompacted for storage by the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive,eflicient device capable of providing lateral support of the head of auser and to prevent rolling or sliding of the head to the side when theneck muscles of a user are relaxed as in sleep.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention will beapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention taken together with the drawings in whichFigure 1 is a top plan View of the device in deflated condition;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device in inflated condition,and

Figure 3 is a view of the device shown in the Figure 2 at right anglesthereto.

The head stay comprises two sheets of vinyl plastic or the likedesignated it] and II which are secured together around the peripheraledge l2 by any known sealing means, such as for example heat. The sheetsit and H are likewise sealed to one another in the central portion asshown at I3, which in the drawing is rectangular but which can possiblyassume difierent configurations. The area I4 is consequently cut offfrom communication with the remainder of the area between the twosheets.

Spaced from the central sealed area 14, the two sheets I!) and H aresealed together as at I 5 and iii. A valve stem I! is affixed to thesheet Ill and surrounding the valve stem, a plastic disc I8 is sealed at19. The plastic disc [8 has an open central portion 20 through which thevalve stem I! extends and the entire disc aside from the sealed portioni9 is loose.

Due to the sealing together of the edges of the sheets l and H, a closedcontainer is formed capable of being inflated through valve stem I1 andthe sealed portions [3, i and i6 form restrictions in the containerwhich will inherently shape the head stay when inflated as shown inFigure 2.

When the head stay is inflated, the central portion l4, being out ofcommunication with the vest of the container will remain flat. The twoend'portions 2|, 22 will become inflated to a considerable extent andthe intermediate portions surrounding the area l4 and between the areasl3 and I5, [6 will be inflated to a lesser extent. Due to the sealedarea l5, l6 and the diiferences in amount of inflation, the ends 2|,

22 will tend to turn with respect to the central area as shown in Figure2.

After the head stay is inflated to a desired degree, the valve stem H isfolded over substantially in the middle and tucked under the looseplastic disc l8 through the open central portion 20. The pressure in thecontainer in conjunction with the plastic disc It will maintain apressuretight seal. In order to deflate the head stay the inflatingprocess is reversed, namely the folded valve stem I1 is pulled fromunder the plastic disc and straightened. When deflated, the head staycan be folded like a handkerchief along the lines l5, It, for example,and can be conveniently placed in a pocket or handbag. The device iseasily inflated as will be apparent from the foregoing description andwhen inflated serves a unique purpose. Due to the restricted areas ofinflation, the device does not serve as a pillow or cushion in theordinary sense and provides no direct support. It is designed purely asa lateral prop to maintain the head upright and prevent its rolling tothe side in sleep. Additionally, the use of vinyl plastic and the likeprovides friction when under pressure from the head of a user andprevents the device from sliding sideways on the back of the seat. Atthe same time, the head can be lifted slightly so as to adjust the headstay and the head to a comfortable position.

The present invention provides a new and novel structure of extremesimplicity in construction and use which is inexpensive to manufacture,eflicient in use and capable of long use.

Various modifications in the form and construction of this device mayobviously be resorted to without departing from the scope of thisinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A head stay and the like comprising superimposed resilient sheetssealed at the peripheral edges thereof, said sheets being sealedtogether along a continuous line forming a closed figure in a centralportion thereof and along lines intermediate between the peripheraledges and said sealed central portion and symmetrical to the end edgesof said stay, said sealed sheets providing a container and inflatingmeans for said container.

2. A head stay and the like comprising superimposed plastic sheetssealed together at the peripheral edges thereof, a central portion ofsaid sheets being sealed together and providing an air-tight centralportion, said sheets being sealed together along extended linesintermediate said sealed peripheral edges and said sealed centralportion, said head stay being adapted for inflation, inflating means forsaid head stay, said head stay in inflated condition having ends thereofinflated to a considerable extent and the intermediate portions thereofaround said sealed center portion and extending to said extended sealinglines being inflated to a lesser degree the end portions tending tobecome offset with relation to said central portion.

3. A head stay as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sealed central portionis uninflated.

4. A head stay as claimed in claim 2, said inflating means comprising avalve stem opening into. the space between said sealed sheets; a plasticdisc having a central opening therein secured to one said sheet'at adistance fromsaid central opening, the remainder. of said plastic discbeing free from said sheet, said valve stem extending through saidcentral opening and being adapted and REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,9-1-1 Jordahn July 17, 19231,726,939 Anderson Sept. 3, 1929 2199,04! Fisher Apr. 30,. 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 784,691 France May 6,1935 385,441 GreatBritain Dec. 29, 1932

